i want to upgrade to a SSD. My new MBP came installed with lion and has no install Disk. How is this done? Better yet are there any problems i should look out for?
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reinstalling lion after SSD upgrade
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ChristianVirtual
macrumors 601
Try to make an external boot risk and make sure you can boot from it. After switching to the new SSD you could boot Lion from the external disk and reinstall on the new SSD.
If you have a new hardware you can also try Command+R to jump into recovery mode while booting. But not sure if that require the recovery partition you might find on your "old" SSD.
If you have a new hardware you can also try Command+R to jump into recovery mode while booting. But not sure if that require the recovery partition you might find on your "old" SSD.
Get a cheap USB enclosure for your SSD and then make a bootable clone of your existing install on your SSD. After that, just swap the drive in. Carbon Copy Cloner should work for the clone.
This would be easier on you if you already have stuff on your new laptop, if you just want to reinstall Lion, there might be an easier way but I'm not aware of it.
This would be easier on you if you already have stuff on your new laptop, if you just want to reinstall Lion, there might be an easier way but I'm not aware of it.
I just finished reading the users manual. There is a section in the manual on boosting your performance by installing a SSD and then showing you how to install Lion through recovery mode. I assume there is a recovery mode thats not located in the hard drive but in a special partition outside the hard drive. I dont think Apple would leave us hanging there with no way to reinstall Lion.
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fat jez
macrumors 68020
There is, but as far as I am aware, it only applies to the MBA and Mini, unless Apple have quietly changed the MBP as well?
You can access the recovery partition by holding the option key during startup. You should be given the option of booting into the main partition ("Macintosh HD", by default) and "Recovery". The latter is similar to booting from the install disk in earlier versions of OSX and should let you reinstall but I don't know if it will let you install onto an external drive.
If you swap the stock HDD out for the SSD you will lose access to the recovery partition because that should be on the same drive as your OSX install.
If you swap the stock HDD out for the SSD you will lose access to the recovery partition because that should be on the same drive as your OSX install.
ChristianVirtual
macrumors 601
You can ... You need to boot from an external disk first and then install Lion on the new internal SSD. Did that in the last days twice on an older MacMini.
The external disk you need to prepare once and could be reuse 😉
you can also wait until Apple sell the USB sticks in the shop; wasn't there a rumor to have that end of August ? But you don't need, works without.
I read a KB-article from Apple on that be but can't find right the number.
Enter the following in google, it will help you: "install lion from usb site:apple.com"
The external disk you need to prepare once and could be reuse 😉
you can also wait until Apple sell the USB sticks in the shop; wasn't there a rumor to have that end of August ? But you don't need, works without.
I read a KB-article from Apple on that be but can't find right the number.
Enter the following in google, it will help you: "install lion from usb site:apple.com"
I think Apple solved the mystery
Lion Internet Recovery
If you happen to encounter a situation in which you cannot start from the Recovery HD, such as your hard drive stopped responding or you installed a new hard drive without Mac OS X installed, new Mac models introduced after public availability of OS X Lion automatically use the Lion Internet Recovery feature if the Recovery HD (Command-R method above) doesn't work. Lion Internet Recovery lets you start your Mac directly from Apple's Servers. The system runs a quick test of your memory and hard drive to ensure there are no hardware issues.
Lion Internet Recovery presents a limited interface at first, with only the ability to select your preferred Wi-Fi network and, if needed, enter the WPA passphrase. Next, Lion Internet Recovery will download and start from a Recovery HD image. From there, you are offered all the same utilities and functions described above.
As with the Recovery HD, reinstallation of OS X Lion from Lion Internet Recovery requires an Internet connection. See "Supported network configurations and protocols" below.
Restoring iLife applications after Internet Restore of OS X Lion
Lion Internet Recovery
If you happen to encounter a situation in which you cannot start from the Recovery HD, such as your hard drive stopped responding or you installed a new hard drive without Mac OS X installed, new Mac models introduced after public availability of OS X Lion automatically use the Lion Internet Recovery feature if the Recovery HD (Command-R method above) doesn't work. Lion Internet Recovery lets you start your Mac directly from Apple's Servers. The system runs a quick test of your memory and hard drive to ensure there are no hardware issues.
Lion Internet Recovery presents a limited interface at first, with only the ability to select your preferred Wi-Fi network and, if needed, enter the WPA passphrase. Next, Lion Internet Recovery will download and start from a Recovery HD image. From there, you are offered all the same utilities and functions described above.
As with the Recovery HD, reinstallation of OS X Lion from Lion Internet Recovery requires an Internet connection. See "Supported network configurations and protocols" below.
Restoring iLife applications after Internet Restore of OS X Lion
Use Super Duper or Carbon Copy
I have a device that is similar to a usb enclosure. I plug one end into the power and through a converter, it delivers power to the blank/external hard drive and the other wire supplies data through the usb. It is very easy to simply clone your original Lion installation plus any apps or data you have put on. When it is finished, simply install the SSD and you will boot up and be ready to go.
I have a device that is similar to a usb enclosure. I plug one end into the power and through a converter, it delivers power to the blank/external hard drive and the other wire supplies data through the usb. It is very easy to simply clone your original Lion installation plus any apps or data you have put on. When it is finished, simply install the SSD and you will boot up and be ready to go.
For $ 3,000, There should of been some kind of restoration solution especially when there is no disk. Im buying my SSD today. I hope i dont get a gray screen of death after installation.